Prepare Yourself for the Clock Change

It´s that time of year again when we are about to spring forward into a new season, with the clocks going forward at the weekend.

In the early hours of Sunday 30 March in Spain, the clocks must be advanced one hour at 2:00 a.m., reflecting the new time of 3:00 a.m., which will mean that we will be able to make more use of the daylight hour during summer.

However, although many people might look forward to those warmer and brighter days, as we make the change in time in our routines, it can cause imbalances in our body, such as fatigue, sleep or distractions, which can have a significant impact on road safety, as they call all affect how we drive.

Some of the symptoms that can affect daily driving can appear for three to four days after the change because the pace of life remains the same even if the hours do not match. If you are prone to migraines or stress, be especially careful when driving the car, because you may be more sensitive to having episodes of pain.

It is important to follow a more or less stable schedule of meals and hours of sleep, always resting the recommended eight hours. Regarding diet, avoiding caffeine will help not to disrupt the body more. Especially if you plan to go on a trip in the next few days.

Drowsiness and Driving

Drowsiness at the wheel is related to a large number of traffic incidents, with daytime sleepiness the leading cause in 30% of these, especially in the professional sector. Drivers who present a high risk of incidents due to sleep are mainly drivers who work shifts, young people, those with sleep-related illnesses and those who drive under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs.

The most important alterations produced by drowsiness and affecting driving are: increased reaction time; less concentration and more distractions; slower decision making and more mistakes; motor, sensory and perceptual disturbances; more automated movements; appearance of micro-dreams; behaviour changes.

According to the First Report on Occupational Road Safety in Spain, prepared by the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE), in collaboration with GAD3, employed workers think that stress (72%), as well as fatigue (67%) and mobile phone use (66%) are the main reasons for incidents. Self-employed workers coincide in the first two factors (83% in both), while long working hours are in third place (73%).